Palo Alto

[Oaktech]

Does anyone out there in EduGeek land use a Palo Alto filter?

 

We are considering one as part of a 100mb synchronous tier1 connection deal and as a way of allowing all the nice features of the internet, and denying everything else!

[gshaw]

Just bought one

 

Only got it in virtual wire mode for now but already I can see exactly what protocols are being used and how much of it. I can then allow, block or restrict speed based on the application, source network, user group etc.

 

There's cheaper products out there but couldn't get the same feature set and richness of policy as the Palo provides

[Oaktech]

We are a few months away from being in a position to sign a contract. If you can keep me updated by PM as to how you get on i'd be very grateful.

 

Out of interest, what kind of connection are you running it on and how many staff and student users? I'm all for this piece of kit, but my NM is concerned that it may be using an expensive sledghammer to crack a walnut.

Edited May 24, 2012 by Oaktech

[keithu]

Does anyone out there in EduGeek land use a Palo Alto filter?

 

We are considering one as part of a 100mb synchronous tier1 connection deal and as a way of allowing all the nice features of the internet, and denying everything else!

 

We've been running a PA-500 on our 100Mb connection since last october. So far so good.

 

We've got the URL filtering and threat prevention subscriptions enabled too and performance seems fine although the admin interface can be a bit slow at times.

[phreak]

I'm running a PA-2020 box. Multi sites, over a 100mb line.

 

Like Keith we have URL filtering and threat prevention. Performance is fine and yes I have some admin interface performance issues, although with the latest update this seems a bit better.

 

I have only been using it for 2 months though so I am sure I haven't unlocked it's full potential yet.

[gshaw]

I'm playing a bit more with mine at the moment, just takes a bit of getting your head around where everything is defined in the interface

[Soulfish]

Got a PA-4020 box here on a 1gig line. Performance is great, and loving the feature set . The guys at Palo Alto Networks/NetCtrl have been great in getting what we wanted when we wanted and helping us set it all up

[phreak]

It definitely does take a little getting used to. Especially if like me you are using a system that someone else setup.

 

But once you get your head around the Palo Alto intricacies things do start to make sense. However, it is both like and yet unlike anything else you would have used. Like as in it has things that resemble Vlans, but then it has all these other bits that interact with them, virtual wires, virtual routers, virtual systems, that are unlike anything else I have used.

 

Stick with it though. Once you get it right then you can make that box sing.